We Are The Gate Keepers
by Shadow Crystal Mage
Summary: The Belkans rise. Willpower gathers. Magic is set. As the Linker Cores War is set in motion, a daughter of heroes and an old villain muse on how easily heroism is forgotten. Ayane and Kageyama talk. Part of the Takamachi Nanoha of 2814 universe.


A/N: Gate Keepers is a series I love dearly. It holds a very special place in my heart. I'm a heartily sorry it has taken me this long to write about it. Set in the same universe as my _**Takamachi Nanoha of 2814**_. They WILL rise up once more! This is pre-GK21 start.

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We Are The Gate Keepers

by Shadow Crystal Mage

Disclaimer: Gate Keepers belongs to GONZO, and their sinfully beautiful art was drawn by Keiji Gotoh.

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"Cute," Isuzu Ayane said disapprovingly. "Too much cute."

"Really?" Kageyama Reiji said as the two stood next to each other at the top of the skyscraper. "I find it strangely refreshing, myself. Girls fighting the forces of evil in school uniforms and miniskirts. A reminder of the old days."

They watched as, below them, the Sailor Senshi battled some reawakened Black Moon Circus Freaks.

"It will not last," Ayane said dismissively. "All things fade away and are forgotten, their golden gleam revealed as brass, blackening in anonymity and buried in the rush of new things."

"One wonders if you go out of your way to find really depressing stuff to say," Kageyama said dryly.

They watched the battle some more. Super Young Team arrived on their Wonder Wagon, and Ayane scowled again at their garish costumes.

"Eternal Sailor Moon seems to have disappeared," Kageyama said casually as the fight below them heated up. "Internal memos I've intercepted from Mahora Academy indicates that some kind of accident has also befallen Negi Springfield, their most powerful combat mage. They haven't said anything about it to the A.E.G.I.S. network, but I probably won't hamper their Invader-hunting abilities. I do not believe the boy has yet been inducted into that part of being a Magister Magi."

"Mind-boggling, given his involvement in everything else," Ayane said, voice flat and dispassionate. She reminded Kageyama so much of Megumi at that age. "Perhaps they do not wish to risk the Prince of Mars?"

"Ostia and Vespertatia," Kageyama corrected gently. "Not all of Mudus Magicus itself."

Ayane's raspberry conveyed her thoughts as to the distinction.

Megumi, however, was usually wound too tight to indulge in the occasional bit of childishness.

"It is a renaissance, it seems," he said, leaning forward on the rail. "Heroes rise up once more as darkness falls to slay all light. Perhaps the new times will have room in it for A.E.G.I.S. as well."

"A.E.G.I.S. has been discredited," Ayane reminded him coldly. "It's corpse stolen from its grave to be dissected for Project Achilles and now CADMUS, its spirit and purpose carried by Gateless magi who do not truly appreciate the significance of the Invaders they fight. I do not see a resurrection possible in that."

"And yet, from reports, the Sailor Senshi have died and returned numerous times," Kageyama said mildly. "Why can't it be the same for us? It is a new generation, shining with new light. Do you really think they are so bright that we shadows of a bygone day will have no more place?"

"We have our place," Ayane said, looking down at the now victorious heroes. "It will just no longer be in the light. How can it, when we must seek our enemies in the shadows?"

"Why must we follow the Invaders into the shadows, when we can bring the light to where they hide?" Kageyama said. "Would hope for us really be so distasteful?"

"We have hidden for twenty years," Ayane said. "Illegal and discarded. Gone are the days all knew to bar not our path. Now, we feud in dark alleys, held back by the very civilizations we seek to protect as the world more increasingly becomes the home ground of the enemy."

"If it is so hopeless," Kageyama asked her quietly. "Then why do you still fight?"

Ayane shrugged. "I need the spending money."

Kageyama chuckled.

"Still," Kageyama Reiji said, looking upwards at the moon that had inexplicably gone green. "One can hope. Allow an old man his fancies."

Ayane shrugged as if it was no concern of hers what his delusions were.

They both watched as the moon turned greener.

...

"Aunty!" Konoe Konoka cried, leaping into the arms of the woman who'd just walked into her dorm. "What are you doing here?"

"Oof!" her aunt Kaoru breathed. "Can't an aunt visit her favorite cousin's daughter? Oi, Konoka-chan, a little more gently! I'm not the athlete I used to be!"

"HAH!" her husband scoffed.

"Uncle Bancho!" Konoka cried, leaping at the man as well, who was more than able to take it. "Eh, uncle, you really need to shave again! Your whiskers are all pointy!"

"Heh, good to see you too, princess!"

"Konoka!" Asuna called out. "Keep it down! Negi-chan needs to rest!"

There was a long-suffering groan from inside the dorm room.

"Sorry Asuna!" Konoka cried.

Kaoru laughed at her niece's seemingly boundless energy. "Ah, to be young again."

Konoka pulled them into the dorm, where Asuna was struggling with a jar of ointment, muttering evil things about badly-fitted twist covers.

"Asuna! Be careful!" Konoka chided. "I need that for dinner!"

"Well, it's stuck, so we might not be able to use it anyway," the red-haired girl said. she nodded at the visitors. "Hey, Kaoru-san, Bancho-san! Back again? It's been more than a year!"

"Here, let me get that for you dear," Kaoru said, taking the jar from her and holding it with her eyes closed. "Gate, open," she murmured.

The top popped off.

...

"Lois!" Perry White called out across the floor of the Daily Planet's pressroom. "You're on the Thunders story! We need an interview with the woman, and you're it!"

"Chief!" Lois Lane protested. "Covering an ex-supermodel turned philanthropist getting a grant from the Wayne foundation, even if Bruce Wayne _is_ involved isn't a scoop! Can't Smallville do it? I was going to S.T.A.R. Labs to find out why the moon turned green!"

"Smallville's covering the Jim Skylark story!" Perry said gruffly, chewing his cigar. "Right now, we need some front page material and Jun Thunders with Bruce Wayne is it! Maybe you can check out the relationship angle or something."

"Bruce Wayne? Relationship? Doubt it," Lois said as she stomped her way to the elevator.

...

Alisa Bannings applauded enthusiastically as the impromptu concert in the parlor ended. "Oh, that was beautiful, Asagiri-san!" she said as the world famous pianist laid an embarrassed hand to her cheek. "Such a haunting melody!"

"Oh, it's nothing special," the pianist said. "Just a little thing I used to play for some friends in my youth. Remember those days, Megane-honey?"

Her husband smiled in remembrance, pushing up his glasses. "I remember. It was always a memorable performance. I remember that time you did it with a melodica on the back of a speeding truck."

"Yes, we were such daredevils in our youth," Reiko said, smiling at Alisa. "Still, all things pass."

She stood up and tripped. Her husband caught her just in time.

"Not everything," he chuckled wryly as his wife blushed.

...

**- THEY WILL RISE UP!**

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A/N: It's 'Kageyama'. ALWAYS 'Kageyama'! He's too cool for his personal name!

**Konoe **Konoka. **Konoe** Kaoru. Truly, it is fated to be…

Please review, C&C welcome.

Until next time, this is Shadow, signing off.


End file.
